The Dragon Emperor succession ceremony would be held in three days, so Jun Changxiao had nothing to do and brought Hua Meigui to stroll around Dragon City, experiencing different customs.
During this time, the Dragon Clan sent no one else. The Three Dukes and Nine Ministers were extremely displeased.
We brought generous gifts to congratulate, yet your Grand Sacrificer didn’t personally come to receive us—who are you looking down on?
“Patriarch!”
The Grand Preceptor said angrily: “The Dragon Clan shows such contempt for our Stone Statue Clan. Why put our warm face against their cold rear end!”
“Don’t rush, don’t rush.”
Jun Changxiao took a sip of tea and said calmly: “After all, they’re holding the succession ceremony. It’s understandable they temporarily don’t have time to receive us.”
“…”
Since the patriarch said so, although the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers were very angry, they could only suppress their fury and continue waiting.
They waited another day but still didn’t see the Grand Sacrificer, nor did any of the Four Great Dragon Kings show their faces.
“What is this nonsense!”
“We shouldn’t have come to the Dragon Domain in the first place!”
Privately, the Stone Statue Clan leadership were all fuming.
Comparing overall strength, our clan isn’t weaker than your Dragon Clan, yet we’re treated so coldly. Is this how you treat guests?
Just when the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers’ emotions were extremely unstable, the Dragon Clan’s Grand Sacrificer finally arrived at the estate. As soon as he entered the great hall, he blamed himself: “Affairs were busy, and I’ve neglected everyone. Please forgive me.”
“Hmph!”
The Grand Preceptor and others showed displeasure on their faces.
You still know to come?
“Uh…”
The Grand Sacrificer was a bit embarrassed. To ease the atmosphere, he looked toward Jun Changxiao in the seat of honor and said: “This young friend has an imposing bearing and stands like a jade tree in the wind. You must be the Stone Statue Clan’s new patriarch?”
The Stone Statue Clan changing patriarchs—the Dragon Clan knew about it after Dog Sheng came over.
“Correct,” Jun Changxiao said.
“Heroes emerge from youth!”
The saying goes, don’t slap a smiling face. Acting so polite, even if the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers were displeased, they could hardly find fault.
“Grand Sacrificer.”
Jun Changxiao asked: “Does your clan’s Dragon Emperor have time? This one wishes to meet him.”
Originally he’d planned to surprise Xiao Longlong by appearing suddenly during his succession as Dragon Emperor, but having come to Dragon City already, so close at hand, his longing grew even stronger—he simply couldn’t control it!
The Grand Sacrificer said apologetically: “The Dragon Emperor’s succession is imminent. It’s inconvenient to receive guests.”
These words made the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers displeased again!
Our patriarch came to attend the ceremony, already giving great face, yet your Dragon Emperor still dares put on airs?
“Alright then.”
Jun Changxiao expressed understanding. After all, when he took over as patriarch, he was also quite busy, so he understood Xiao Longlong’s current situation.
After conversing a while, the Grand Sacrificer took his leave.
Gongsun Ruoli walked in from the back courtyard: “This Grand Sacrificer seemed a bit off.”
“How so?”
“Can’t say exactly.”
“…”
…
Two days later.
The Dragon Emperor succession ceremony began.
Unlike the Stone Statue Clan, the Dragon Clan’s leader’s ascension was held in the clan hall.
Jun Changxiao led everyone over and presented congratulatory gifts. When the Dragon Clan announced them one by one, it shocked the Dragon Clan warriors, because the gifts were truly too generous!
Giving gifts had its intricacies.
For Dog Sheng to be so lavish was truly rare.
Fortunately, for this Dragon Emperor succession, they hadn’t invited Upper Realm’s major powers. Otherwise, when others gave a thousand and he gave a hundred thousand, it would be a slap in everyone’s face.
“Patriarch Gongsun, please!”
With generous gifts, the Dragon Clan’s treatment immediately changed. They arranged him in the frontmost position, only two or three meters from the Dragon Emperor’s throne.
“Xiao Longlong.”
Jun Changxiao sat down and thought to himself: “I’ve come to personally witness you ascending as Dragon Emperor!”
“The succession ceremony.”
Just then, the Grand Sacrificer called out: “Now begins!”
“Swish!”
“Swish!”
The Dragon Clan experts gathered in the clan hall all stood up, serious expressions appearing on their faces.
“Invite the Dragon Emperor to ascend!”
In the solemn atmosphere, the clan hall’s side door slowly opened.
He’s coming!
Dog Sheng smiled.
“Step.”
“Step!”
Heavy footsteps sounded. A figure in a robe edged with gold, surrounded by Dragon Clan warriors, walked forward.
The smile on Jun Changxiao’s face gradually froze.
The one who emerged wasn’t Xiao Longlong, but a square-faced middle-aged man!
Jun Changxiao had seen him before. When various clans came to the Eternal Sect back then, he’d appeared. And according to Master, he seemed to be called the Qingming Dragon King or something.
No, no.
The protagonist shouldn’t have appeared yet!
Jun Changxiao stood up and looked deeper into the side door, but… it was closed!
No one else?
The script is wrong!
“Step!”
Just then, the middle-aged man in magnificent robes stopped before the Dragon Emperor’s throne, instantly releasing a powerful aura around him.
“As expected, it’s him.”
There was no surprise in Gongsun Ruoli’s tone.
Among the Four Great Dragon Kings, the Qingming Dragon King had the strongest power. His inheriting the Dragon Emperor position was perfectly natural.
Jun Changxiao was confused.
What was this guy doing standing before the Dragon Emperor’s throne? Was there another procedure? Would Xiao Longlong appear last as the finale?
“Grand Sacrificer.”
The Qingming Dragon King said: “Announce it.”
“Yes!”
The Grand Sacrificer turned around to face the Dragon Clan warriors and proclaimed loudly: “I, as the Dragon Clan’s Grand Sacrificer, formally announce that the Dragon Emperor position will be inherited by the Qingming Dragon King. Do you all acknowledge this!”
“We acknowledge!”
“We acknowledge!”
Everyone bowed their heads, placing hands on their chests.
The Qingming Dragon King’s lips curved in a smile. Then he placed both hands on the dragon throne and sat down.
“I do not acknowledge this!”
Suddenly, a discordant voice rang through the clan hall.
“Gah!”
The Qingming Dragon King’s body stiffened. His face darkened as he looked toward the source of the voice, immediately locking onto Jun Changxiao, astonished: “It’s you?!”
“Swish!”
Jun Changxiao jumped up, standing on his chair, and roared: “You’re not a Five-Clawed Dragon. What qualification do you have to sit in the Dragon Emperor’s position!”
Gongsun Ruoli froze.
The Three Dukes and Nine Ministers were dumbfounded.
Although they were very displeased with the Dragon Clan’s recent neglect, they couldn’t say anything out of propriety. Now at the succession ceremony, not only had the patriarch publicly objected, he’d roared at the new Dragon Emperor. This was a bit… big trouble was coming!
As expected!
The Dragon Clan experts present were unhappy.
An elder stood up angrily: “Insolent!”
“Swish! Swish! Swish!”
All the Dragon Clan warriors looked at Jun Changxiao, their gazes flashing with towering fury.
“Boom!”
Gongsun Ruoli stood up and slammed her palm down, shattering the table before her. Her beautiful eyes flashed coldly: “What do you want to do?”
The former patriarch was domineering!
But… there’d originally been room for mediation, but with her slamming the table like this, the situation’s direction instantly became uncontrollable.
“Shouldn’t we be asking that?” the Grand Sacrificer said in a deep voice.
We invited you as guests, yet you object at the sacred succession ceremony and show disrespect to the Dragon Emperor. No matter how you look at it, we’re in the right!
At this moment.
The clan hall’s atmosphere was extremely tense.
Dragon Clan experts from all sides glared furiously at Jun Changxiao. Gongsun Ruoli and the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers all stood up, displaying an attitude of absolute defiance!
“Ahem.”
At this time, the Qingming Dragon King lifted his rear, signaling his clansmen to sit down, and smiled: “I didn’t expect Sect Master Jun would come attend the succession ceremony. This Emperor is truly a bit surprised.”
Jun Changxiao said coldly: “Where’s Xiao Longlong?”
If the Dragon Emperor wasn’t his contracted beast, there must have been some change!
“Sect Master Jun.”
The Qingming Dragon King smiled: “This Emperor respects public opinion and accepts questioning, even from you, an outsider. So today, let me show you whether I have the qualifications to sit in the Dragon Emperor’s position!”
He raised his head, his expression turning fierce.
“Whoosh! Whoosh!”
“Whoosh! Whoosh!”
In moments, dragon energy gathered around him, and five dragon claws gradually manifested!
Gongsun Ruoli said: “As expected, a Five-Clawed Dragon!”
What the Dragon Clan called Five-Clawed Dragons didn’t mean having five fingers or toes like humans, but rather possessing five limbs. Now that the Qingming Dragon King displayed them, it was enough to represent that he was a genuine Five-Clawed Dragon with qualifications to inherit the Dragon Emperor position.
“Long live our Emperor!”
“Long live our Emperor!”
Dragon Clan experts all knelt on the ground and called out.
However, facing this ironclad evidence, Jun Changxiao’s eyes gradually filled with towering killing intent.
The Dragon Clan only had one Five-Clawed Dragon. Since the Qingming Dragon King was one, it meant Xiao Longlong was gone, or… had been robbed!
“Whoosh!”
Suddenly, towering energy waves enveloped Jun Changxiao. When everything dispersed, the Great Sage suit was draped over him, the Fourth Form Irrepressible Blade gripped in hand. Like an emotionless death god, he said: “I’m only giving you one quarter-hour. If I don’t see Xiao Longlong, the entire Dragon Clan will be annihilated!”
—